Dundee United claimed only the second Scottish Cup of their 101-year history in emphatic style but Craig Levein, the Scotland manager who built this United team before departing Tannadice in December, found himself the unwarranted centre of attention at the match afterwards.

Levein's decision to wear a tangerine rose at Hampden triggered one caller to a BBC phone-in on Saturday night to insist that he should be sacked by the Scottish FA on the basis he lacks impartiality.

Levein was joined at Hampden by another 28,000 United supporters. That number is impressive in itself, as is the 20,000 who descended from the Highlands to cheer on County. The underdogs' day may have been ruined by defeat but the spirit of the men from Dingwall could not be doused after a cup run that has seen Hibernian and Celtic despatched along the way. County were well beaten on the day, but certainly not disgraced. "I said to the players afterwards, 'Remember, you've got this football club to a Scottish Cup final, be proud because they might never get there again,'" said Derek Adams, the County manager.

Levein's successor, Peter Houston, will be delighted but he knows trouble looms. The consequence of United's success is that several of their players will be attractive to other clubs.

"If a player's ambition stops at being at United then he's no use to anyone," said Houston. "But we are determined not to lose many of the team. We might need to sell one, but that is football in general at the moment."

David Goodwillie's rapidly emerging talent was demonstrated by the moment which set his team on course for victory. The 22-year-old took one touch before lobbing home from 25 yards after a headed clearance from the County goalkeeper Michael McGovern dropped at his feet. By the time Craig Conway scored his second of the game in the dying minutes, County were a broken team. Their memories of an epic Cup journey, one will nonetheless linger in the memory for years to come.

At the end of their centenary season, United's players went one step further.